Saturday, November 28, 2015

Two days from now, world leaders will converge in Paris,
France for the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Much of the world is hopeful
that some solution will come out of the talks. Members of the World Socialist
Movement are unable to share in those hopes. Capitalism continues and for fossil
fuel companies it is very much business as usual. Corporations only seek to
maximise profits at the expense of the planet. We cannot solve this crisis
through the capitalist system.

We can only globally resolve the issue of climate change with
a complete change our economic system from one of competition to one of
cooperation. The
scientists and engineers of the world have the solutions but there is not the
political will to implement the necessary changes. We need a system of planned
economy and no longer subject ourselves to the whims of the market.

Our hopes cannot lie in political leaders to save us or that
the capitalist class will mend their ways and end the environmental destruction
of the planet. Our hope lies in ourselves. We have the power and the skills to organise
society in a sustainable way. We need a socialist system that utilises the
world’s resources to sustain and improve the lives for everyone on the planet. We
need to demand “System Change, Not Climate Change!” To transform the capitalist
system is a massive challenge yet it is one we must face if humanity is to
survive.